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Heavy Rain

'Heavy Rain: The Origami Killer' is an upcoming PlayStation 3 video game being developed by French studio, Quantic Dream. The game is scheduled to be released in early 2010.

PlotDavid Cage in an interview with Dutch magazine "Chief" in 2008:

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"The main story will revolve around 4 different characters, and we're putting the spotlight on their perceptions. The question 'what is good and what is evil' is the key here, that will be just a matter of viewpoint...I believe heavily in moral choices, I'm going to use them A LOT. They're not about being good or bad, but about finding the right balance."

It has been confirmed that the four main playable characters can die during the story. If characters die, the game and story continue and the player will assume control of a different character, with the death of the other character(s) having a certain contextual impact. In the event that all four characters die, there is a proper conclusion to the story and the game ends.

GameplayAction sequences, such as when the player is being attacked, play out as quick time events. Players will be presented with various symbols, requiring them to either press buttons, move the right analogue stick in a certain way, or shake or tilt the controller. Failure to execute these commands take the story along a different path, and certain mistakes will lead to a character's death.If a character dies, the game does not end, and play control switches to another character, with the events of the previous character's death affecting the story. In the event that all four characters die, there is a proper conclusion to the story and the game ends.

DevelopmentMary SmithThe Casting, shown at E3 2006, is non-playable, real-time 3D prototype technology demo. It was running on a non-final PlayStation 3 console development kit in 720p display resolution. The demo showcased a complex virtual actor (hence the other name "Virtual Actor Demo"), highlighting numerous expressions and motion captured animations. It also showed various technical features of the game engine, all embedded in a brief emotional story. However, the plot of the tech demo has nothing to do with the story of Heavy Rain itself.

The virtual actor in the demo is based on French American actress Aurélie Bancilhon. The prototype used not only her likeness, but also her motion captured performance.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1DDcI7ixUY

Quantic Dream highlighted that the technology demo is just a sample of things achievable in a limited amount of time, and that during the making of the prototype, they still were in the middle of research and development efforts for the game itself.

From a technical and technological standpoint, notable features of The Casting include full body and facial motion capture, real-time tears and wrinkles on the face, advanced skin shaders, and some advanced rendering features, such as depth of field, spherical harmonics, auto exposure and high dynamic range rendering. The technology enables animations of pupil dilation, tongue, eyes, fingers, and dynamic hair with physics. The game engine also supports real-time post-processing, with which E3 attendees could interact at the event. Hair physics is achieved by the use of PhysX by nVidia. Facial motion capture was recorded using Vicon Peak MX40 cameras and system, and was enhanced with a muscle system.

When Heavy Rain is released next year we'll get a completely new gaming experience, explained David Cage from Quantic Dream. Cage showed off the game at GamesCom, highlighting some of the four main characters, including a private detective named Scott Shelby and a man named Ethan.

Ethan lost his oldest son in a crowd, and his kid was hit by a car, Cage explained. Ethan must confront his own fears when his son goes missing. The idea is based on Cage losing his son once in a shopping mall.

The game is said to be like no other title currently available. It uses the PlayStation 3 in new ways, and is not your typical game that features repetitive action. Instead, the game focuses strongly on emotions.

I hope you are right Manuel. Watching closely on the development of this game, I have got more and more interested everytime news is announced or the release of a video. I really feel that this will be one of the most unique titles on the PS3 and I hope it lives up to my expectations, not as the greatest game on the PS3, but exactly as they are claiming it to be.

G4: Have you considered releasing a short demo via PSN of a scene such as the Norman Jayden junkyard fight, to convey what the game is to gamers who don’t follow enthusiast media?

DC: Definitely. We are currently working on a demo, which is a real challenge. Finding one scene that can convey what we are trying to achieve with Heavy Rain is something really difficult. If we show an action scene, some players will think that this is what Heavy Rain is all about, and it is the same thing if we show an exploration scene. The problem is that each scene of the game offers contextual game play, which is something very difficult to explain and convey in a single demo. Demos are often a double-edge thing: if you don’t release one, players may think that you have something to hide. We also know many good games that ended up not being massive hits because the demo could not convey the quality of the game behind it.

Heavy Rain is a cinematic and evolving thriller from Quantic Dream, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Fahrenheit. Dealing with a range of adult themes, the game revolves around a sophisticated plot and strong narrative threads that explore a complex moral proposition. You assume the role of multiple characters, with very different backgrounds, motivations and skills, in a world shaped by Bending Storylines - a dynamic narrative design where your actions and decisions will shape your story.